1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel gas filler structure for a gas-fueled vehicle which is supplied with fuel gas via connection to an external fuel gas supply station.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, fuel cell vehicles having fuel cells therein have been developed for practical use. As an example of such fuel cell vehicles, a type of vehicle is known which has a fuel cell supplied with a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas, and in which driving power is generated by electro-chemical reactions of the gases (reaction gases) in the fuel cell. Because air can be used as the oxidizing gas, the oxidizing gas does not need to be stored in the vehicle; however, the fuel gas such as hydrogen must be stored in the vehicle. As an example of supplying a fuel gas into a vehicle, a method may be conceived which comprises a step of inserting a fuel gas filler nozzle, which is connected to an external fuel gas filling station, into a fuel gas filler receptacle provided in the vehicle, as in the case for a conventional gasoline vehicle.
Before inserting the fuel gas filler nozzle into the fuel gas filler receptacle for supplying a fuel gas into the vehicle, static electrical charge must be dissipated. As a countermeasure for static electrical charge, a fuel filler lid made of conductive material may be employed.
Another proposal has been made in which a ground connection portion is provided in the vehicle in addition to the fuel gas filler receptacle, and the ground connection portion is connected to a ground line of a fuel gas filling station for dissipating static electrical charge. In this case, the ground line of the fuel gas filling station must be connected to the ground connection portion provided in the vehicle before inserting the fuel gas filler nozzle into the fuel gas filler receptacle, and a system may be conceived in which the connection between the ground line and the ground connection portion of the vehicle is, for example, electrically detected by a sensor, and the insertion of the fuel gas filler nozzle into the fuel gas filler receptacle is permitted based on the detected result; however, such a system implies a great increase in cost.
In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive fuel gas filler structure for a gas-fueled vehicle which enables accomplishing the connection between the ground line and the ground connection portion of the vehicle before the insertion of the fuel gas filler nozzle into the fuel gas filler receptacle.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a fuel gas filler structure for a gas-fueled vehicle comprising: a fuel gas filler receptacle to which a fuel gas filler nozzle of an external fuel gas filling station is to be connected; a fuel filler lid which is opened or closed, by a fuel filler lid opener, for selectively covering the fuel gas filler receptacle; a ground connection portion to which a ground line of the fuel gas filling station is to be connected; and a ground connection lid which is opened or closed for selectively covering the ground connection portion, wherein an operating section of the fuel filler lid opener is disposed in a region which is covered by the ground connection lid in a closed state.
According to the present invention, when the ground connection lid is closed, and when the ground line of the fuel gas filling station is not connected to the ground connection portion, the fuel filler lid cannot be opened because the operating section of the fuel filler lid opener is covered by the ground connection lid so as not to be exposed. As a result, the connection of the fuel gas filler nozzle of an external fuel gas filling station to the fuel gas filler receptacle is prohibited by the fuel filler lid in a closed state. On the other hand, when the ground connection lid is opened in order to connect the ground line of the fuel gas filling station to the ground connection portion, the operating section of the fuel filler lid opener is exposed so as to be accessible, and the fuel filler lid can be opened. Accordingly, the insertion of the fuel gas filler nozzle into the fuel gas filler receptacle can be accomplished only after the ground line is connected to the ground connection portion by merely disposing the operating section of the fuel filler lid opener for opening the fuel filler lid in a region which is covered by the ground connection lid in a closed state.